Cubs Pen Reigns in a Win – Cubs 4 Phillies 3

A long night of baseball resulted in a win for the Chicago Cubs. For the third time on the road trip, Q’s squad played into extra innings but Thursday night in Philly ended with Carlos Marmol picking up the save.

Thursday’s game had it all … a rain delay, a dominating performance from the Cubs bullpen, a game tying home run by Geovany Soto and a review that took a home run away from Tyler Colvin all in the ninth inning … and the Cubs coming all the way back and scoring the winning run on a throwing error.

The Phillies jumped out to an early 3-0 lead against Randy Wells. Wells struggled with his command and threw a lot of pitches before high winds and rain delayed the game for an hour and 17 minutes.

When play resumed, both Wells and Kyle Kendrick did not return and it was up to the bullpens to finish out the game.

The Cubs pen threw 8 2/3 scoreless innings Thursday night and allowed the Cubs’ offense to chip away at the Phillies early lead.

Rodrigo Lopez set the tone after the delay. Lopez allowed three baserunners (two hits and a walk) in his 2 2/3 innings of work. James Russell retired the Phillies in order in the sixth and John Grabow bent a little but did not brake in his two innings.

Sean Marshall picked up the win after striking out four, walking two and giving up a hit in his two innings Thursday night. Marshall got into a two-out jam in the 10th after issuing a walk to Shane Victorino and an infield single to Raul Ibanez. Carlos Pena made a tremendous defensive play to keep Victorino from scoring on a wild throw from Starlin Castro. After intentionally walking Domonic Brown to load the bases, Marshall struck out David Herndon to end the inning.

Carlos Marmol picked up his 12th save after retiring three of the four batters he faced in the 11th.

The Cubs pen surrendered four hits, walked five and struck out six in Thursday’s come from behind victory.

Mike Quade received production from two unlikely sources Thursday … Geovany Soto and Tyler Colvin.

Geovany Soto (2-for-5 with a home run and a double) tied the game in the top of the ninth with his fourth home run of the season … the first homer allowed by Ryan Madson this season. Soto continued to look lost at the plate until the seventh when he ripped a two-out double off Michael Stutes.

Tyler Colvin (2-for-4 with a double, a walk and a run scored) broke his 0-for-34 slump with hits in his last two at bats. Colvin appeared to hit a go ahead home run in the ninth after Geovany Soto had tied the game. The original ruling was a home run and back-to-back jacks for the second day in a row. But Charlie Manuel argued and asked for the home run to be reviewed. Fan interference was ruled and Colvin’s 0-for came to an end with a ground rule double.

Colvin ended up scoring the eventual winning run after leading off the 11th with an infield single. Colvin scored the game winner on a throwing error by Placido Polanco.

Starlin Castro (2-for-5 with a double, a run scored, a RBI and a walk) drove in the Cubs first run of the game and scored the second on a double by Carlos Pena (2-for-5 with a double and a RBI) in the eighth.

With Thursday’s win, the Cubs improved to 25-36 on the season, 11 games under the mediocre mark … Randy Wells (three runs on three hits with two walks and two strikeouts in 2 1/3 innings, 53 pitches, 30 for strikes) really struggled with his command before the wind and rain delayed the game. Wells worked out of a self imposed jam in the first. Wells struck out Jimmy Rollins to start the game then bobbled a comebacker off the bat of Placido Polanco. Chase Utley singled to right, the first hit of the game.

Ryan Howard fouled out to left and Victorino flied out to left to end the inning.

Aramis Ramirez recorded the Cubs first hit of the game. With one out in the second, Ramirez hit a 1-2 pitch from Kyle Kendrick off the wall in left. Ramirez did not run right away and was thrown out at second trying to reach second on what should have been a routine double. DeWitt popped out to center to end the inning.

Randy Wells labored through a long second inning and before he could record three outs his team was in a huge 3-0 hole.

Raul Ibanez led off with a single to center. After Domonic Brown popped out to Darwin Barney, Wells walked the eighth place hitter, back-up catcher Dane Sardinha. Kyle Kendrick tried to bunt the runners up ninety feet but could not and fouled off a bunt attempt on a 3-2 offering from Wells.

Wells fell behind Jimmy Rollins 3-0 before serving up a 3-2 pitch to Rollins that the Phillies’ shortstop deposited into the stands beyond the right field wall. The Phillies took a 3-0 lead at that point. Polanco flied out to right on Wells’ first pitch to end the inning.

The Cubs’ right-hander threw 46 pitches, 27 for strikes, in the first two innings.

Randy Wells notched the Cubs second hit of the night in the top of the third, a two out single to right.

Chase Utley flied out to deep right to start the bottom of the third. Wells fell behind Ryan Howard 3-0 before he could not throw another pitch.

The high winds forced the game to be delayed before the rain came.

After a one hour and 17 minute delay, Rodrigo Lopez took over and issued ball four to Ryan Howard. Shane Victorino singled to right on a 1-2 pitch. Raul Ibanez flied out to center for the second out.

Lopez issued the second walk of the inning to Domonic Brown. Lopez was ahead in the count 0-2 before walking him to load the bases with two outs.

Dane Sardinha ripped a 3-2 pitch toward the hole at short. Aramis Ramirez snagged the ball with a well-timed dive into the hole. Ramirez got to his feet quickly and threw a strike to Pena at first to end the inning.

The Cubs finally broke through in the sixth.

Tony Campana hit for Rodrigo Lopez and grounded out to first to start the inning. Kosuke Fukudome followed with a fly out to center. Danys Baez helped out the struggling Cubs’ offense by hitting Darwin Barney on a 1-1 pitch.

Barney promptly stole second and scored on a single to right by Starlin Castro. Castro took second when Brown’s throw sailed over the cutoff man all the way to the plate.

J.C. Romero replaced Baez and retired Pena on a foul out to Dane Sardinha to end the inning.

With the Phillies up 3-1, the Cubs put two on in the seventh after Soto doubled to left with two outs. Tyler Colvin worked a walk and Quade went to his bench for Brad Snyder.

Charlie Manuel countered and went to his pen for his second lefty, Antonio Bastardo.

Quade went back to his bench and sent Luis Montanez up to hit for Snyder. Montanez ended up fouling out to Placido Polanco on a 3-2 pitch to end the inning.

The Cubs made it 3-2 in the eighth after Starlin Castro reached on a double off of Polanco’s glove. Castro ripped a 2-2 pitch from Jose Contreras down the third base line, Polanco dove but could not make the play. The ball ended up in foul ground and Castro scampered into second base. Carlos Pena followed with a double to right on a 0-2 pitch. Castro scored and the Cubs had the tying run in scoring position. Ramirez grounded out to short on the second pitch of the at bat to end the inning.

John Grabow retired the Phillies in order in the bottom of the eighth.

Ryan Madson took the hill in the ninth. The Phillies closer had not blown a save or served up a home run all season … but that changed quickly Thursday night.

Blake DeWitt grounded out weakly to second for the first out of the inning. Geovany Soto stepped in and looked a two straight out of the zone to start the at bat. Soto squared up Madson’s next pitch and the ball ended up in the stands in left … game tied at three.

Tyler Colvin followed and launched a 0-1 pitch deep to right. The ball appeared to leave the park and end Colvin’s 0-for-34 streak in a big way. Charlie Manuel went out and asked the umps to review the home run.

A Phillies fan appeared to reach over the fence in right and he touched the ball but he also appeared to stop the flight of the ball more than anything. It is unclear if the ball Colvin hit would have left the park cleanly or not.

After a brief delay, the umpires returned and ruled fan interference. Colvin’s home run turned into a double and the Cubs could not push across the go ahead run. D.J. LeMahieu hit for Grabow and struck out swinging on a 2-2 pitch. Fukudome was intentionally walked but Barney swung at the first pitch and grounded out to short to end the inning.

Sean Marshall retired the Phillies in order in the bottom of the ninth to send the game into extra innings.

The Cubs had a chance to take the lead in the top of the tenth. Carlos Pena and Aramis Ramirez reached on back-to-back one-out singles. Blake DeWitt hit a weak chopper to second, Utley touched second but DeWitt beat the throw to first. Soto looked at a 2-2 pitch to end the inning.

Sean Marshall struck out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to start the bottom of the tenth. After a questionable call on a 2-2 pitch to Victorino, Marshall ended up walking the Phillies’ centerfielder.

Raul Ibanez hit a 1-1 pitch back up the middle. Castro ranged to the middle and tried to make a play at first. Castro’s throw was off the mark and well up the line. Carlos Pena made a game saving (at least for the moment) stop as he reached behind him and kept Victorino from scoring the winning run.

Mike Quade made the right call and intentionally walked Domonic Brown to load the bases … and force the hand of Charlie Manuel. Manuel had to leave in his pitcher, no one was warming in the pen. Marshall struck out David Herndon to end the inning.

Tyler Colvin led off the top of the 11th with his second it of the game … a weakly hit chopper to first that Ryan Howard could not get out of his glove. Ryan Dempster pinch-hit for Sean Marshall to sacrifice Colvin into scoring position. Dempster bunted through David Herndon’s second offering. The ball went off of Carlos Ruiz’s glove and Colvin took second on the passed ball.

With Dempster still at the plate, Herndon made a pick off throw to second base but neither Rollins nor Utley were at the bag. The ball ended up in center but Colvin did not realize it. Colvin held at second and Dempster eventually struck out on a fouled bunt attempt. Fukudome struck out but Barney put a 2-2 pitch from Herndon in play.

Placido Polanco fielded the ball cleanly but his throw to first was low. Howard could not scoop and Colvin scored the go ahead run. Castro grounded out to third to end the inning.

Carlos Marmol was sharp in the bottom of the 11th. Marmol gave up a leadoff single to Carlos Ruiz but retired Rollins, Polanco and Utley in order to end the game.

Sometimes even a bad team can have a fun night at the ballpark …

Box Score from Yahoo Sports

Carlos Zambrano against Roy Halladay in game two Friday night.